Latest revision as of 21:32, 8 March 2018

Contents

Life & Career

Beckett was the son of a civil engineer, Clifford Beckett, Esq.[1] He was missing the tip of an index finger which had been badly stitched up after a relatively minor childhood injury.

In late 1910, Beckett was admitted to Plymouth Hospital with a septic wound on his right ear. He was fit 19 days later. In mid September of 1911, he was admitted to Queensferry Hospital, requiring nine more days treatment for his ear.[2]

He was appointed to Dido to work with T.B.Ds. on 8 October, 1913 and moved to Princess Royal on 13 November.[4]

On 15 January, 1914, he was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant. On 30 March, he was appointed to Attentive for T.B.Ds. before being appointed to the destroyer Legion on 14 July, to serve in her upon her commissioning.[5]

Great War

Beckett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 November, 1915.[7]

Beckett was praised by the Admiralty for deftly organizing an attack on German destroyers on 7 April, 1917. He was awarded the D.S.C. for this action, gazetted on 12 May, 1917.[8]

In January, 1918 he was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital to be treated for haemorrhoids. This visit apparently evolved into treatment for urological issues and finally, in March, to involve surgery on a knee. On 11 April, 1918 he was declared fit.

Post-War

On 22 June, 1921, he was appointed in command of the new trawler Boyne. On 15 October, he was relieved spent two weeks on unpaid time before being appointed to the Ramillies on 1 November where he would serve for just over two years.[9]

He submitted a report illustrating the possible role C.M.Bs. might play on the China Station about this time.[10]

In 1924, he submitted a design for a "torpedo indicating device". The Admiralty concluded that it was not practical, but they conveyed their appreciation for his zeal and ingenuity in making the submission.[12]

Beckett married Gladys Hemery Lindon on 30 July, 1928 at St. Luke's in South Kensington, London.[13]

Beckett was appointed in command of the battleship Centurion in April, 1937.

World War II

He was admitted to Haslar hospital on 10 January, 1940 for three days to treat an old sprain injury on his left ankle and was released fit for duty.[16]

He was appointed to the heavy cruiser Exeter to oversee her repairs on 30 November, 1940, slated to take command upon her commissioning. However, his health was failing him as this work continued. Before the ship was ready to return to service, Beckett died in hospital after an exploratory surgery undertaken in efforts to relieve damage to his lungs from poison gas exposure suffered long before.[17]